Title: Quality in technoscience within the crisis of knowledge societies? Some cases, critical aspects of 'research misconduct' category and a focus on 'knowledge' as commons

Authors: Gemma Maltese

Addresses: University of Calabria, CS-IT, Via Marconi, 87100, CS, Italy

Abstract: In this contribution, I focus on two cases of high social impact within the Italian and European context and for the whole 'scientific community'. The first case regards the diffusion of the public controversy regarding the Xylella bacteria affecting olive trees in South Italy (Salento, Puglia). The second relates the work of the National Great Risks Commission (GRC), under the National Service of the Italian Civil Protection, before, during and after the earthquake at L'Aquila, in 2009, and the reasons of the judicial dispute at L'Aquila Court, in which this technoscientific committee has been involved, and of the conviction against several expert members of these organisms. Exploring these cases can make visible the complexity and critical aspects of pursuing an approach of definition-categorisation of 'research misconduct' and the involvement of local communities within the dynamics of technoscientific knowledge reproduction and assessment.

Keywords: emergency; crisis; risk; knowledge; policy; European Union; Italy; technoscience; commons.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2019.105334

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2019 Vol.22 No.3/4, pp.221 - 237

Received: 18 Sep 2018
Accepted: 04 Sep 2019
Published online: 24 Feb 2020 *

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